Tony Dyson, one of the main creators of Star Wars' robot R2-D2 has been found dead in Gozo.

The body of the 68-year-old Briton was discovered at his home in Triq Zirzieb, Munxar, Gozo, after the police were alerted by friends about his absence for a number of days.

Mr Dyson, who was known for his infectious laugh, had recently taken part in the Malta Comic Convention.

Speaking to Times of Malta last December, Mr Dyson said: "Be playful. Never stop playing. If you look at life the way it really should be – enjoyed – then you become very creative".

An inquiry is underway though no foul play is suspected at this stage. Mr Dyson lived in Malta since the early 1990s.

R2-D2 became one of the world's favourite robots, forming part of the Star Wars franchise which has grown from strength to strength since the first film in 1977.

Mr Dyson, the versatile Emmy-nominated film SFX supervisor was the creative genius at the helm of many big sci-fi films, including Superman 2 and Moonraker.

He also designed and built robots for some of the largest electronic companies in the world, including Sony, Philips and Toshiba.